Workers grudgingly OK contract with Aggregate

By Craig S. Semon TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

Saturday

Aug 28, 2010 at 12:18 AM

Threatened with being replaced, striking Aggregate Industries workers have approved a contract that calls for them to pay for part of their health insurance and pension benefits and fewer guaranteed work hours.

Between 25 and 30 people work at Aggregate Industries Northeast Inc.’s plant on Worcester Street in North Grafton. They ended a 10-day strike Thursday to avoid being out of work, Local 170 Business Agent James R. Fiore said.

“It was a tough pill to swallow. These members have been working here for 20 to 30 years,” Mr. Fiore said. “They’re going to look forward to work another day rather than to get replaced, and that’s what the company was trying to do, trying to break the union.”

Mr. Fiore said Aggregate played “real hardball” during the negotiations and never budged.

Aggregate laborers had a choice between a four-hour guaranteed workday with a 9 a.m. start or a five-hour guaranteed workday with a 10 a.m. start. They chose the four-hour workday; before, they had an eight-hour guaranteed workday with an 8 a.m. starting time for eight months and a 9 a.m. starting time for the winter months.

Under the new contract, the company will decide who is offered overtime, regardless of seniority. Seniority took precedence in the earlier contract. In addition, laborers will pay a share of their health insurance, as well as some money toward their pension, both of which they had not done before.

Mr. Fiore said while it was an unfavorable contract for the workers, they did make the right decision to ratify it.

“No, we’re not pleased. We’re not happy at all,” Mr. Fiore said. “They tell us they’re going to replace you. You have an option here: Option A, reject it and have no job at all; or B, accept it and try to live another day.”

Craig Semon can be reached by e-mail at csemon@telegram.com.

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.